Making your vacation a culinary adventure

Vacations are all about exploration. This could mean finally touching down in the city you’ve always dreamed of visiting or trying a new activity. In addition to thinking about vacation activities to broaden your horizons, many travelers are realizing that another great way to explore a destination is through food.

(BPT)

July 20, 2013 - 3:25 am

Vacations are all about exploration. This could mean finally touching down in the city you’ve always dreamed of visiting or trying a new activity. In addition to thinking about vacation activities to broaden your horizons, many travelers are realizing that another great way to explore a destination is through food.

One doesn’t necessarily have to head to far-flung exotic places in search of culinary adventures. There are plenty of nearby destinations one can visit and still experience a world of flavor.

Consider a destination with a variety of world-class cuisine all in one place to enjoy a more relaxing foodie getaway. Booking a trip to a culinary-rich resort such as Terranea Resort is a perfect example. The resort, located in Southern California along the prestigious Palos Verdes Peninsula, offers eight food and beverage venues providing a vast selection of dining options to explore, as well as unique culinary-themed events and programs for guests to learn and discover more about the world of food.

Here are just a few reasons a trip to a food-focused resort can satisfy the appetite of anyone who’s looking to discover new culinary experiences.

* Many choices, one location: Terranea Resort offers cuisine for every palate. Find top-notch Pacific-Asian cuisine at bashi from Chef Bruce Nguyen, an accomplished chef who’s had a hand in developing well-regarded restaurants up and down the coast of California. Or try fine dining at mar’sel, the resort’s signature restaurant that promises fresh seasonal offerings and the quintessential coastal cuisine dining experience. The newly updated Spa Cafe menu brings fresh and light offerings like salads, wraps and fresh juices, for a quick bite between spa treatments. With eight unique dining options that range from casual to upscale, as well as in-room service, you can get a varied dining experience all in one setting.

* Local and seasonal offerings: When restaurants take care to use as much fresh and local produce as possible, diners can taste the difference. One uniting theme across all of Terranea’s restaurants is a reliance on fresh, local fare. Rebecca Merhej, head chef at mar’sel, is committed to using farm-to-table ingredients, and even the produce gathered from an on-site herb garden has a place on her menu.

* Special food events: Another advantage of a food-focused vacation at a resort like Terranea is access to special events that you couldn’t get elsewhere. Enjoy well-crafted wine-paired dinners, themed holiday meals, or sign up for seasonal presentations and cooking demonstrations. Terranea invites guests to interact with the resort’s chefs with a new series of cooking classes. The classes give guests the opportunity to learn about the use of the resort’s fresh ingredients and techniques in food preparation.

*Unique dining experiences: Terranea’s popular oceanside eatery Nelson’s recently added a new beer garden. The beer garden features a rotating selection of local and regional microbrews like San Diego’s Ballast Point and Dude’s Brewing Company, one of L.A.’s newest producers, to go along with a selection of homemade sausages, daily chef specials, and Nelson’s signature soft pretzels. Combined with Terranea’s Annual Summer Concert Series with live music to set the cool California vibe, Nelson’s Beer Garden is the perfect place to wind down for the evening and enjoy a hot Bavarian pretzel and a craft beer along with spectacular ocean views.

* Don’t forget the drinks: Unique cuisine calls for beverage options that match. At bashi, visitors can sample the restaurants signature “bashi Hot & Sour,” which blends the unique flavor profiles of Whistle Pig Rye whiskey, TY KU Citrus Liqueur, fresh-squeezed lime and lemon juices, Sriracha Chili sauce and, yes, bacon. The restaurant also offers more than 17 different kinds of sakes. And if you aren’t feeling so adventurous and want to stay closer to home, you can find a well-tended list of California wines and microbrews at Nelson’s.

If you’re looking for all the flavor of a food adventure with the convenience of having everything in one place, a trip to a culinary-rich resort is the perfect option. To learn more about what you can expect from an all-in-one location destination getaway like Terranea, visit www.terranea.com.